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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23656480">Stranded in Smoke</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annide/pseuds/Annide'>Annide</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad Things Happen Bingo, M/M, Stranded</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:01:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,339</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23656480</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annide/pseuds/Annide</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>During a fire, the floor collapses under TK's feet, his radio stops working and he finds himself completely separated from the rest of the crew.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Owen Strand &amp; TK Strand</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bad Things Happen Bingo [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1667122</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>190</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Stranded in Smoke</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for Bad Things Happen Bingo: Stranded/Lost</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                He came to slowly. He couldn’t have been out for very long. He felt the heat of the fire near him and the weight of the rubble on him. TK was working on clearing this floor when the floor collapsed under him, the fall rendering him unconscious. His entire body hurt, but he didn’t think he had any serious injury. He sat up and pushed pieces of debris off him. He checked his equipment, made sure it was still secure. He was protected from the flames and his oxygen tank was at a decent level.</p><p>                He had two main issues at the moment. The first one was the fact his radio didn’t seem to be working. His best hope was that what he said made it through even if he couldn’t hear anything coming from it. The second one was the realisation that his only way out of there was completely blocked by beams and pieces of furniture. Don’t get him wrong, TK wasn’t taking lightly how hot he was starting to feel as the fire grew around him. The smoke blocked more and more of the light, making it harder to see. He was stuck there.</p><p>                The rest of the team would be trying to reach him, get a status update and location from him, and would come looking once they didn’t. He knew that. But he also knew what happened to make the upper floor collapse could happen again. He could fall again and get seriously injured this time, or even die. If they didn’t get that fire under control soon, it was a real possibility that the entire building could subside, burying him in the wreckage. He couldn’t wait for them, for his dad, he had to try to find a way out on his own.</p><p>                Even though it looked inaccessible, TK tried to get to the door first. It was his best option. Exit the way he’d come in, just on a different floor. He moved some of the debris out of the way so he could get closer. A beam had fallen at a diagonal angle, completely blocking the access. He did his best to move it, but it was too heavy. He was only exerting himself and wasting oxygen. He needed to be careful with that, he didn’t know how long it would take for him to either find his way out or be found, he had to make sure his reserves lasted as long as possible.</p><p>                As he walked away, looking around for anything he could use as a tool or as a lever, something caught his eye. There was another firefighter here, he could see the suit among all the debris. It had to be Paul. They were paired together today. They’d been walking the hallway, TK clearing the room on the left while Paul took care of the one on the right, then meeting back out and moving to the next ones. He must’ve finished his first and come in to check on him right before the collapse.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>               It was just as scary each time. To stand there outside a burning building and watch TK and the others run in to rescue people, to do their jobs. It was easier to deal with the fear of never seeing him come back when he had something to busy himself with, but there didn’t seem to be much for him to do at the moment.</p><p>                Of course, he was overseeing the evacuation, making sure everything stayed under control and no one’s impatience and fear caused any real trouble. So far, everyone stayed calm and listened to the medical team. Carlos still had plenty of time to listen to the radio communications and wonder how his boyfriend was doing. But everything was fine. Owen and Marjan were in charge of clearing the main floor and basement, TK and Paul were clearing floors from the top down, and Judd and Mateo were going up.</p><p>                Everything was going as well as expected so far. Owen and Marjan finished their part and came back out to meet him. Most injuries were minor, all of the hotel’s staff was accounted for, there were only a few guests they hadn’t found yet, but they could just as well be out.</p><p>                “126, give me a status update.” Owen asked over the radio.</p><p>                “Ryder and Chavez now on the stairs to the fifth floor, everything clear so far. Nothing to report.”</p><p>                Carlos’s heart skipped a beat when silence followed. It didn’t mean anything, maybe the others were busy, but it wasn’t like them to not respond immediately.</p><p>                “Strand, Strickland, status update. Now.”</p><p>                Nothing, still. Owen turned to share a worried look with Carlos. Something was wrong. They both looked up the side of the hotel, with the small hope that they could see something. They had no idea where they were. How long did it take them to climb up fifteen floors of stairs in full gear? How many floors could they have cleared since? Owen estimated them to be either on the 13<sup>th</sup> or 14<sup>th</sup> floor. It was too high for the ladder.</p><p>                “Captain, do you want us to climb up there and check on them?” Judd asked.</p><p>                “No, Marjan and I will go. You and Mateo keep clearing floors. We still have a job to do.”</p><p>                Carlos watched helplessly as they put their hats back on and walked right back into the burning hotel. Why did he have to fall in love with a guy who was so prone to getting himself hurt? What if he didn’t make it this time? He couldn’t lose him.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>               Paul was unconscious. His breathing was shallow and too fast, but he was still alive and it was all that mattered for now. TK had freed him and left him there, not far from the blocked door, under the hole in the floor over them, that way he was sure nothing else could fall on him. He had tied a line between them so that hopefully if the floor gave out under him, he wouldn’t end up on the floor under a pile of rubble again. It was just as likely he’d pull TK down with him, but at least they wouldn’t lose each other. Buddy system, always stay in pairs, never leave anyone behind. They would stay together no matter what.</p><p>                The connecting door to the room next to them was completely ablaze so that wasn’t an option, he’d known all along. TK went to the window next. He couldn’t even reach it, there were flames making it impossible for him to get there. It didn’t really matter though. They were too high up to use it as an exit anyway. But he might be able to break it from where he was, let some smoke out to help him see his surroundings better. And oxygen wouldn’t be a bad thing either, Paul was using up his own too quickly for TK’s taste.</p><p>                Fortunately, there were plenty of things laying around the floor for TK to throw at the window. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t break enough of the glass to make much of a difference. It helped a little, but the fire was so intense that it didn’t really buy them any time. They could only hope that the smoke exiting through that hole would at least help the others figure out their location. They had to be on their way by now. It had been too long since their last communication.</p><p>                TK let himself sit down for a minute to get just a little bit of rest, during which he checked on Paul again. He was wheezing now and his heartbeat was fast, too fast. He needed medical attention urgently, they had to find a way out right now.</p><p>                Grabbing his axe, TK walked to the wall opposite the flames. If the fire seemed to be coming in from the adjacent room, which was inaccessible, he was hoping the one on the other side might be a good exit option. There was no door there, but he might be able to break through with a little effort and persistence.</p><p>                He was doing great progress. He could see the room on the other side of the wall and it looked pretty good. They would have a clear path to the door. All he needed to do was make the hole in the wall big enough so that he could get both of them through it. Paul’s low oxygen light turned on and TK renewed his efforts, hitting the wall with his axe faster and harder than ever. He just had to make it.  </p><p>                The hole was almost done. TK pulled Paul towards it, but he still couldn’t quite get him through. If they’d both been conscious, they might’ve been able to cross to the other side, but no matter what he tried, TK couldn’t get his friend through the wall. Paul’s oxygen sensor started beeping. He was out. TK knew it would happen, he only wished the team would’ve gotten to them by then. He thought he would at least hear them trying to make their way in by now. But all he could hear was the fire destroying everything around them. The smoke was so thick, he could barely see Paul lying down at his feet. He still had a pulse, he could still save him. He took his mask off and put it on Paul’s face. That way, he still had a fighting chance. He would use up that oxygen a lot faster than TK would, but if the team got there in time, it wouldn’t matter.</p><p>                He couldn’t just let him die. He couldn’t do that. Even if it meant risking his own life for him. Paul deserved to live. He was a fighter, he could make it. TK tried his best to keep going, to keep breaking through the wall. But the room was so filled with smoke and ash, and it was so hot, he could hardly breathe. He also couldn’t really see what he was doing without his mask. So he decided to lie down next to Paul and lift his coat as much over his face as possible. Maybe the best thing he could do right now was to put himself as close to the ground as possible and hope the others got there in time. He tried to stay awake, but he felt so tired. He fought against his heavy eyelids, but it was stronger than him and he lost. He slipped into unconsciousness, seeing nothing but flames and smoke around him.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>               They had made it to the 13<sup>th</sup> floor. They were going to climb up and check the 14<sup>th</sup> first, but Carlos radioed them about a window breaking on the 13<sup>th</sup> and letting out smoke. He thought it might be some kind of a signal from Paul and TK. Owen agreed.</p><p>                Marjan saw it first. The light from flames in a room. The door was open, which was unusual for a hotel and meant Paul and TK had to have gone by there. They approached carefully, which was just as well, because the floor was gone.</p><p>                “I think I can see them.” Marjan said, “There’s a lot of smoke, but I can make out at least one firefighter gear in the light of the fire. Whoever it is isn’t moving and the fire’s getting close. There seems to be a hole in the wall. I think our best bet would be to take the stairs down and come at them from the room next door to them.”</p><p>                “You don’t think we can get into that room?”</p><p>                “Has to be a reason why they tried breaking through that wall instead of leaving through one of the doors, right?”</p><p>                “Alright, let’s do that.”</p><p>                Owen was afraid. Why were they not moving? What if the flames got to them before he and Marjan could? They ran down the stairs as fast as they could and broke through the door of the room next door to where TK and Paul were trapped. Marjan took her axe and finished opening up the wall. They were both there, lying on the floor, unconscious. TK didn’t have his mask on.</p><p>                “Looks like Paul’s oxygen ran out, TK gave him his own.”</p><p>                “Why does my son always have to be such a damn hero? Couldn’t he think about his own safety, just once?”</p><p>                “Probably saved Paul’s life. His pulse is weak and his breathing shallow, but he’s alive. We just need to get him to a hospital.”</p><p>                “TK doesn’t have a pulse.”</p><p>                Owen and Marjan pulled them both out of the room and into the hallway where there was a lot less smoke. Owen gave his oxygen mask to his son and started CPR.</p><p>                “Come on, TK, come on, I’m here, I got you. Just wake up.”</p><p>                Marjan took her mask off to just hold it against her face. She regularly put it up to Owen’s face so he wouldn’t get too out of breath. It took a minute, but TK opened his eyes. He looked disoriented, but he was alive.</p><p>                “Dad, you saved me. Again.”</p><p>                “Yes and I wish you would stop almost dying on me.”</p><p>                “I’m sorry. The floor collapsed, I couldn’t get us out and Paul needed more oxygen.”</p><p>                “Oh, I understand, TK. But it’s hard watching your son get hurt all the time.”</p><p>                “I’ll try to do better. Come on, we gotta get Paul down.”</p><p>                TK used his father’s radio to tell Carlos and the others that they were fine and on their way down. Then he and Marjan each took one of Paul’s arms and carried him down. Owen loved watching his son do something he loved and follow in his footsteps, but there were some days where he wished TK had chosen a safer path. He never wanted to lose him. At least they were together, where he could keep an eye on him. And repetitively save him.</p>
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